Police in speeding crackdown on Telford road
Police are cracking down on speeding along a busy Telford road, saying that residents are scared for their safety.
Donnington's Safer Neighbourhood Team in Telford, has been carrying out speed surveys on Oakengates Road, prompted by reports from people who live in the area that many vehicles are flouting the 30mph limit.
Officers say the surveys confirmed this view, with the average speed reaching 30.59mph.
Pc Rob Hughes said: "Some roads lend themselves to speeding for whatever reason, and Oakengates Road is one of them.
"The surveys are a result of concerns in the area. People have told us the cars are so fast they are scared to cross the road and have difficulty getting out of the driveway.
"With the surveys we are hoping to build up enough to send to the Safer Roads Team and the parish council."
Officers monitored the speed of vehicles passing either way on Donnington Road, and collated the results to find even the average speed was over the limit.
Pc Hughes said: "The stats give a mean average of 30.59 mph but that is high considering some cars are travelling slower. The highest speed on the surveys was 40mph, though my colleague PCSO James Fox has recorded higher.
"The lowest speed was 24mph. The highest speed I have dealt with was 45mph, which was reported for prosecution.
"This is a 30mph road and residential area so I would expect caution. Speeding tends to be one of the main concerns for residents in most of our areas, and it is something we can take positive steps to deal with. We need to minimise the risks to people in the area."
The survey by the Donnington officers played into a Europe-wide campaign to encourage safe driving.
Last week saw police officers across Europe, co-ordinated by the European Traffic Police Network, focus on speed detection and raise awareness of the dangers of speeding.
The group's president Paolo Cestra said: "We urge all drivers to challenge their own attitude to speeding. Anyone who still believes that speeding is a trivial offence needs to think again.
"That’s because excessive or inappropriate speed has a singularly devastating impact on the safety of road users, increasing both the risk of a crash and the severity of the consequences."
